1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to processing of fish and fowl and, more particularly, is directed toward a method for removing skin from fish and poultry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of systems have been developed for removing skin from fish and fowl. The aim of such systems is to remove the skin without removing the underlying flesh. In one method for skinning frozen tuna fish, the tuna are thawed first, then they are placed in cookers and precooked for approximately one to three hours, the length of cooking time is determined by the size of the fish. When the precooking has been completed, the tuna are allowed to cool. The surface dries, and the skin, loosened from the flesh during cooking, reattaches to the flesh. After cooling, the tuna are moved into a cleaning room where the skin, bones, fins, and blood meat, are separated from the light loin meat. The heads, tails, and fins are first removed and then the skin is scraped off.
Another method of skinning fish involves placing fish fillets skin side up on a conveyor belt which passes under a rotating refrigerated, stainless steel drum. When the fish skin contacts the refrigerated drum surface, it is frozen to the drum. The skin and flesh are separated by means of a continuous knife blade.
Prior art methods of skinning fish and fowl suffer from the disadvantage that a thin layer of meaty flesh is removed with the skin. A need has arisen for an improved method for skinning fish and fowl in which the skin is removed without removing the underlying meaty flesh.